Families from Oak Grove, Ridgedale, and other neighborhoods will soon have access to a new kind of park that is quite literally in their own backyards – the reimagined Community Schoolyard at East Side Elementary School.
Staff from Trust For Public Land joined with Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly, Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp, and Hamilton County Schools Superintendent Dr. Justin Robertson, leaders from the City of Chattanooga’s Parks & Outdoors Department, and residents from the Oak Grove and Ridgedale communities to break ground on this project, the first of its kind in the Chattanooga area.
The vision for the Community Schoolyard at East Side Elementary is the result of months of collaborative engagement with the schools’ students, their families, and neighbors in the vicinity, and is informed by the City’s official Parks & Outdoors Plan (POP.)
Upon completion, the $400,000 project will transform East Side’s playground along East Main Street into a more open, accessible, and welcoming public space for a variety of users when classes are not in session. Impact Parks, a division of Playcore, has produced the conceptual design and will also serve as the project’s general contractor. T
he East Side Elementary Schoolyard is funded through a public-private partnership between the City of Chattanooga and Trust for Public Land. A $200,000 contribution from the City’s Department of Parks & Outdoors has been matched by Lyndhurst Foundation, Bobby Stone Foundation, The Howard Fund, and the Schillhahn Husky Foundation.
“TPL’s work has always been about transformation as much as it's about conservation. Our Community Schoolyards program allows everyone to enjoy the abundant health and social benefits of great parks by activating nearby school playgrounds in new ways,” says Noel Durant, Director of the Tennessee Office of Trust For Public Land. “We owe a debt of gratitude to the students and faculty, alongside community advocates who designed and informed this first community schoolyard in Tennessee. Their support and dedication have made this uniquely beautiful new public space possible.”
“Urban parks are essential to quality of life in Chattanooga, and this is a smart way to add a new park that the entire community can enjoy outside of school hours,” says Mayor Kelly. “Parks bring so many benefits to their neighborhoods, from improved health outcomes to cleaner air to increased investment. I want to thank TPL and Hamilton County for forging this partnership. These are One Chattanooga principles in action.”
“Investing in public school campuses as community hubs beyond school hours is a brilliant vision for the future of our county,” said Mayor Wamp. “I’m grateful to the Trust for Public Land for their interest in serving schools and neighborhoods across Hamilton County.”
“Hamilton County Schools is committed to Every Community Served, within that commitment is a desire to ensure that our facilities are safe and welcoming places for our children to learn and thrive,” says Dr. Robertson. “That said, we recognize that each school campus is an important and indelible community asset to all of the families around us. TPL’s Community Schoolyards lets us welcome more neighbors onto our school grounds at more times without compromising their security and the core mission of our facilities.”
TPL is already looking ahead, and plans to work with local leaders on more Community Schoolyards at other local public schools next year.
“Parks have an uncanny ability to bring families of different backgrounds and income levels together in a safe and fun way,” says Durant. “We are excited for our East Side neighbors to enjoy this one and can’t wait to watch this program expand.”
The Community Schoolyard at East Side Elementary School is anticipated to open in early 2025